“What?” A slice of fear rolled through her stomach. She didn’t see any threat or sense any.
“Go now, before it’s too late. They’re dangerous.”
The boys scampered into the night, and she eased herself up, scanning the bar quickly.
“What did they say?” the Commander asked. “Do they want fifties this time?”
She ignored him and continued to skim every face, taking note of the exits. There were two, plus the balcony they sat on. The jump was only five feet to the ground if they had to go that way.
“Kayla, what’s wrong?” Mace asked, catching her attention.
“Guys—guys,” she hissed louder, leaning over she punched Tinman in the shoulder. One by one the team looked at her, conversations stopping. “Who is El Serpiente?” Eyes grew wary around the table, and the smiles dropped instantly from their faces.
“They’re from Columbia, Kayla. It’s a cartel. They run drugs mostly. Panama, places like that. Why?” Mace asked, grabbing her arm.
“We have to leave,” she said, spotting four men standing by the bar staring at them, and they definitely were not tourists. One was dressed in a business suit, with his long hair pulled back in a ponytail, while the others had blazers and jeans. They reminded her of Miami Vice from the eighties.
“Kayla-girl, they’re in Columbia, they’re not here,” Fox said, lowering his voice.
“They’re here, and they know we are.”
“What?” Thane growled. “Is that what the boys said?”
“Jesus Christ, are you sure?” Tinman asked. “If they are we’re in a deep load of shit. The guy who runs the operation got away, but we neutralized his brother.”
The Commander followed her gaze to the four men at the bar who watched them intently. “Yeah, we’re in shit,” he said, looking down. “That’s Faron at the bar. Don’t turn around, men.”
“Is anyone armed?” Mace asked.
“No, nothing but our brains and fast feet, I think,” Fox said. “Options?”
“We have to get Kayla outta here,” Mace said tightly, darting a look at Thane.
“They’ve probably got the exits already blocked. We don’t know how many we’re dealing with,” Thane said, reaching for her hand. “Kayla, you’re going to stay behind me every step of the way, you understand?”
“No doubt he’s already made friends. We’re going to have to move fast,” Cobbs added tightly.
She nodded. This was no exercise and they were in big trouble by the looks of all of them. She cranked her head around. “We can’t get to the cars, right?”
“Doubt it,” Mace said, looking behind them. “Water is always a good way to go.”
“I can’t swim,” she confessed. A few hundred yards away a bridge crossed a long inlet that burrowed itself into the village with a large marina sitting below it.
“At all? You jumped into the ocean from the patrol boat,” the Commander said with astonishment.
“I can dog paddle, but I can’t swim like you guys.”
“A little is good enough. All right, we’re going for the bridge,” the Commander ordered. “As soon as we make a move, it’s on.” He palmed her cheek. “Don’t leave my side unless I tell you, Kayla. And if I tell you to, you do it.” His eyes darted around. “Let’s move.”
The team stood up at the same time, and the men at the bar didn’t waste a single second, crashing through the crowd. Weapons appeared in their hands, and bullets began firing past the people on the dance floor. Chaos erupted with people screaming, some running, others hitting the deck.
Her long skirt hindered her from straddling the railing. She hitched it up and swung her legs over. The team jumped immediately, but she hesitated.
“Kayla, jump!” the Commander yelled up at her.
Mace stood beside him and their eyes met. “Kayla, come on. What are you doing?”
She would slow them down by trying to protect her. Someone could be killed. “Go without me.”
The Commander’s face contorted into a mask of rage, but fear marbled it. “Now,” he roared at her.
She jumped and he caught her in his arms.
Running fast, they dodged around small buildings and worked their way across uneven ground, the Commander holding her hand and Mace remaining close by her side. Serpiente’s men were right behind them and they made a hard right between two stucco structures. The team hammered themselves against the wall. The warm stone scratched her back when the Commander yanked her behind him as El Serpiente’s men skidded around the corner.
Grunts and blows of fists connecting with muscle met her ears, but the Commander’s large frame blocked her from seeing anything. A bullet ricocheted above her head hurtling a chunk of stone sharply at her shoulder, and she dropped to her haunches. Muzzle fire caught her eye in the darkness and then four of El Serpiente’s men lay on the ground dead.
Fingers dug into her arm, and tore her away from the wall. “Commander,” she gasped, feeling the sharp stucco gouge her skin. A sweaty hand closed around her throat, and yanked her backwards. Thrusting hard, she rammed her elbow into a belly, then gripped the fingers digging into her flesh. Sweat broke out on her skin, and her sight began to dim. Not now, no, not now. She recognized the early signs. Breathe. Oh, God, breathe.
Thane spun around, his foot kicking the weapon from the man’s hand.
Thick fingers squeezed tight, cutting off her air, and she clawed at them. “Back off or I’ll snap her neck,” the guy growled.
The Commander’s arm shot up. A flash of blue sparked, and her captor’s hand released her as he fell backward. Swinging around, she stared down at the neat hole between his glazed eyes.
“Let’s go,” the Commander ordered, grabbing her, thrusting her ahead of him.
She tripped, and he pulled her to her feet.
They sprinted toward the bridge. Men shouting in Spanish and the sound of screeching tires paralleled them on the road. They were running out of buildings to hide behind. To get to the bridge and the marina access sitting just before it meant they’d be in the open. The Commander made a movement with his hand, and his team responded slowing down and splitting into two lines.
They stopped behind the last building. “Commander, I’ll take Nathan, Fox and Clay, and draw the fire.” Cobbs said.
“What?” she blurted. “No.”
“You’re going to have to run your ass off.” The Commander scanned the darkness, and handed him his weapon. We’ve got two, you’ve got two.”
Cobbs cracked the magazine checking for rounds. Her stomach clenched. Fear thrust at her bravery, and poked at her adrenaline with a sharp stick.
“We’ll take Kayla and meet you down on the docks.”
“Let’s do it,” Fox said, sounding stone cold sober.
The men sprinted into the darkness, swerving to the right before she lost sight of them.
The Commander’s hand squeezed her shoulder. “Don’t stop, no matter what, Kayla. You keep running no matter who goes down.”
He clutched her hand and they bolted for the bridge, Mace shielding her on the other side. Tony and Caleb fell in behind them.
Reaching the railing, she peered over, her chest heaving from exertion. They all whirled around when vehicles launched themselves onto the bridge from both ends, Cobbs’ group running just ahead of the trucks from the south end.
“Only one way out,” Cobbs yelled, and they launched themselves over the edge of the bridge.
“That has to be a seventy friggin’ foot drop!” When the first bullet twanged off the girder near her head, she swung her legs over the railing and caught the ledge on the other side with her toes. “This is the last time I’m going on a date with you bloody bastards.”
Mace and Thane swung over the railing on either side of her, Caleb and Tony had already jumped.
“Cross your ankles, Kayla, and keep your arms tucked in,” Thane ordered.
The three of them jumped at the same time. It took far too long to hit th
e water. The coolness startled her senses as she knifed through it. She opened her arms and legs in a scissor motion to stop her descent. Breaking the surface, she gulped air at the same time fighting with her dress, snagged in her legs.
“My skirt,” she sputtered, reaching to clear the tangled mess. Thane grabbed at her waistband and tore it from her then grabbed her wrist. Mace took her other hand.
“Don’t kick, Kayla,” Mace whispered to her. “Quiet.”
They slid her through the sea like they were towing a log. Lights beamed down onto the water, and bullets cut through the surface with deadly little spurts. Reaching the rocks lying against the shore, slimy green plankton oozed between her toes as she scrambled up the sharp boulders trying to avoid the barnacles with the Commander’s help. The dock stood a good five feet above them. The rest of the team hoisted themselves quickly over the edge and lay on their bellies, keeping out of the beams of light dancing all around.
“Grab her.” Thane clutched her hips and lifted her above his head. Mace snagged her around the waist and pulled her into his arms. With one easy heave, Thane was on the pier.
Several fingers spurred out from the dock. All of them filled with vessels of every shape and size. Two vehicles, their headlights jumping with the bumpy descent swerved sharply down to the marina.
The team quickly surrounded her and they ran down the dock, everyone on guard. She stopped suddenly and Thane nearly bowled her over, catching her before she hit the boards. “There,” she pointed, and dodged around him down the closest finger.
“Kayla, what the hell are you doing?” Thane hissed.
“Get in the water,” she ordered. “But I might need Clay.”
“What the hell is she doing?” Mace said, chasing after her.
Chapter Fourteen
“Good eyes, Kayla,” Clay said, as they reached the cigarette boat.
“We’re as good as gone,” Mace said, grabbing one corner of the cover.
The Commander and Mace tore the cover off, revealing a blue and orange striped hull. The interior had six leather bucket seats. It would be tight, but they could do it. She dove onto her hands and knees between the front seat and the dash.
“What the hell are you doing, Kayla? Let Clay in there,” Thane ordered, his voice strained.
El Serpiente’s men had reached the docks, yelling at each other. At least they knew how close they were getting.
She felt around with her hand. Nothing. Dammit. She rolled over onto her back. The quarter moon didn’t shed much light, but then she saw the seam of a small flush circle. Thumbing it, the compartment popped opened. “Thank God,” she breathed and reached for the key. She quickly scurried onto the seat. “Let go the lines.”
Clay and Mace gave the vessel a push and jumped in.
“The damn fuel tanks better be full,” she muttered to herself, turning the key. The two twelve hundred horsepower engines came to life with a throaty growl. She dropped the throttle into reverse. El Serpiente’s men heard the engines and came running. She backed out of the slip and gave the throttle a gentle forward thrust. They cut down the channel to the end of the finger, and that’s when the first bullet hit the vessel.
“Kayla, get down.” the Commander barked, trying to pull her away.
“Get ready to pull the guys in,” she said, pushing his hands away. She swung the wheel sharply at the end of the pier and saw the team’s heads bobbing in the water. El Serpiente’s men were already halfway down the dock and they opened fire toward the sound of the vessel. Angry shouts in Spanish pierced the air. Within a second, all of the team was inside the boat, and she turned the wheel headed for the entrance to the marina, giving more power to the outboards.
Looking behind her, the men sat silently, keeping low. The channel opened up toward the entrance as they traveled through the long marina. The sound of at least two other vessels reached her ears. She peered through the darkness. To starboard, a jet boat came out of the darkness, moonlight brightening the white hull. On her port side another two fast craft headed straight for them. They were converging, but that wasn’t their only problem. Two charter vessels with loud music and strings of lights covering the aft deck where tourists partied crossed ahead of her. At the exit of the small bay, an enormous rock jutting thirty feet from the sea created a natural inbound and outbound lane.
Carefully, she gave the outboards more power and the cigarette boat cut through the water, picking up speed.
“Kayla?” Thane’s voice questioned the scenario taking shape before them.
The four vessels were converging and she had a bead on the outbound lane. “We’re gonna make it,” she said with certainty. Her heart beat so hard in her chest she could barely breathe, and her legs shook. The CPAs, closest points of approach, were close. Very close.
“Mace,” Thane shouted.
“Fuck, I don’t know,” he yelled. “Kayla, are you sure?”
They were going to miss—not by much, but the jet boats were going to get close enough to shoot at them close range. Whether they could make it between the two opposing charter vessels, cutting them off from their pursuers well…she was ninety-nine percent sure they’d lose a coat of paint. She hammered down on the throttle. “Stay low.”
“Kayla, we can’t make it,” the Commander yelled at her.
“We can make it. Get down.”
Trimmed up, they traveled above the waves. Time slowed. Each second that passed, she recalculated the distance. Oh God, it was going to be close. The warm wind tore at her hair and filled her throat with more oxygen, and she needed it. El Serpiente’s vessels started firing on them. Bullets hit the side of the boat, piercing the hull. Thane wrapped his arms around her, protecting her with his body.
“Jesus Christ, hold her straight, Kayla,” Mace yelled beside her as he peered over the windshield.
Two hundred feet, a hundred feet, fifty feet.
“Shit,” the Commander growled and clenched her as they cut a thin line between the jet boats converging on either side of them. Bullets cut through the air, one smacking through their windshield. Only feet made the difference between freedom and a horrific collision, but there was no way the other vessels could miss each other. A sickening sound met her ears from the high speed impact.
She didn’t look back, but she felt the blast of heat as the vessels exploded. The gap was closing between the charter boats, and their horns started honking madly. Two more fast craft appeared out of the darkness, the Serpientes firing on them.
She couldn’t stop, they were committed. Two more seconds and the large bow of the charter boat loomed on their port side. They shot past, barely clearing it. She coaxed the wheel to port only a few millimeters to give her the edge.
“Holy shit!” someone yelled from behind her.
Two seconds, mere feet, she held her breath as they whistled across the bow of the second charter vessel, its horn blaring loudly.
Maintaining their speed, she altered course for the exit to the bay and they sped through the narrow opening.
The Commander released her and she rose, resting one knee on the seat behind her. With open water, she turned northwards. The charter vessels had stopped and blocked the exits. She had no idea if there were shoals that could turn a quick escape into a quick mayday, but she prayed navigational buoys in Mexico were the same as the rest of North America.
“Commander,” Caleb yelled over the wind. “You’ve been hit.”
Her heart cracked with fear. “What?” she turned to see him, but the men had already sat the Commander down, circling him.
She heard the tear of cloth as Caleb ripped Thane’s shirt open. “Fuck, are you lucky,” he said. He tore a strip from the Commander’s shirt, and wound it around his arm.
“Is everyone all right?” Thane called out.
“I don’t know how,” Tony jeered loudly, “but I think I shit my pants for the first time since I was two.”
The men chuckled. Mace threw an arm around her. “Nice driving,
Snow White. Why don’t you let me get us back to the base?”
She nodded and they switched places. Swinging her leg across the seat, she squeezed in front of the Commander. “Is it bad, Caleb?”
“Nah, it’s just a flesh wound. I’ll stitch it up when we get back.”
Blood soaked the makeshift bandage, and streamed down his arm. The Commander clasped his hands around her bare ass and pulled her to straddle his lap. With his good hand, he palmed her head and came down on her lips with savage heat. Whistles erupted around them.
“When I’m right, I’m right,” Cobbs said, chuckling.
The roar of her heart drowned out everything as the Commander’s warm body pressed against hers and his tongue invaded her mouth, finding every sensual spot and savoring them. The wind and him encompassed her. Fiercely, she hugged him back, but she also felt the hard bulge growing against her sex, and the moisture seeped from between her legs with a terrible yearning.
Drawing away, his steely gaze scorched her. “I feel your heat, Kayla,” he whispered in her ear.
Imperceptible to anyone else but her, he lifted his hips, pressing himself against her, and her stomach pitched with yearning. “You’re hurt because you protected me,” she said, trying a diversion for both their sakes.
“We’re alive because of you, Kayla.” He gently brushed her lips with his. “And I’d never let anyone hurt you.”
“Did I earn my stripes tonight?” she asked. Sure, he cared about her. Captain Redding would have torn his ass to shreds if something had happened to her.
Tony crouched down beside them. “Oh, most definitely.” He cocked his head and a big grin slipped onto his lips. “Petty Officer Snow White.”
Chuckling, she grabbed his shoulder. “Thanks, Tinman.”
Suddenly a wave of tiredness struck her. The excitement and adrenaline receded as the lights in the distance told her they would be in American waters soon. She offered Thane a tired smile.
“Come here,” he ordered gently, and pulled her against his chest. She nestled her head into the crook of his neck, ignoring the horrible sting between her shoulder blades. Blood trickled from the Commander’s wound all the way down to his palm and through his fingers. With two gentle strokes, he made a cross with his own blood on her breast. “Just once more, and I promise I’ll—”
Code Name: Ghost Page 17